In case you did not know this, I am a member of SCBWI, otherwise known as The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. Foolishly I have never been very involved in SCBWI the way I am with CANSCAIP (Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators & Performers), because I’ve always been rather intimidated by this stellar organisation. But that is going to change, because I’m attending my first US Conference next year in New York! And yes, I’m terrified. But I’ve done things that have scared me before (flying to Nunavut, performing in front of people), so somehow I’ll manage (I hope).

Something else that I’ve done to get more involved in SCBWI is to enter their annual Tomie dePaola Art Award! I have chosen to illustrate a scene from Little Women (confession: I’ve yet to read the book. Have seen the movie with Katharine Hepburn, though). Here’s the text that I chose to illustrate:

Every few weeks she would shut herself up in her room, put on her scribbling suit, and “fall into a vortex,” as she expressed it, writing away at her novel with all her heart and soul, for till that was finished she could find no peace. Her “scribbling suit” consisted of a black pinafore on which she could wipe her pen at will, and a cap of the same material, adorned with a cheerful red bow, into which she bundled her hair when the decks were cleared for action. This cap was a beacon to the inquiring eyes of her family, who, during these periods, kept their distance, merely popping in their heads semi-occasionally, to ask, “Does genius burn, Jo?” They did not always venture even to ask this question, but took an observation of the cap, and judged accordingly. If this expressive article of dress was drawn low upon the forehead, it was a sign that hard work was going on; in exciting moments it was pushed rakishly askew, and when despair seized the author it was plucked wholly off, and cast upon the floor.

Woo hoo! Today’s the day, kids! Thanks to all the folks who entered – I loved reading all the wonderful comments about being or not being a grown-up. For those who didn’t enter, well – the book is available at bookstores like Indigo or Barnes & Noble, and of course, Amazon. So what are you waiting for?

Ok, let’s get down to business! I do love me a good ol’ raffle contest, and I feel sad for those who don’t win, but hey – I can only give away so many books! So this is how I do the contest. First, I write all the names on tiny pieces of paper:

Then I get me my hand-dandy coffee raffle tin (which just happens to be sitting next to my cup of morning coffee). Coffeeeeee……mmmmmm….

I fold up all those tiny pieces of paper and place them in my handy-dandy raffle tin:

Then I shake up that tin like crazy! Look! Maggie has popped by to see what’s going on:

Then I pull each name out and announce it here on my blog! Maggie wants to be a part of the contest, so I have allowed her to be the ‘Vanna White’ gal. And the first winner is…Peej Maybe!

And now…drum roll please…the BIG WINNER who gets a HARDCOVER copy of this fantabulous book is……..ISABELLA KRATYNSKI! Woo-hoo!!

I wish a big CONGRATS to all the winners, and thank you once again to everyone who made the effort to comment. I’ll be doing some more fun promotional cartoon stuff surrounding this book in the near future, so be sure to check in!

Woo hoo!! Yup, I haven’t hosted a book giveaway contest in a while, so I think it’s about time, don’t you? Of course, it always helps to have a new book to give away, doesn’t it? And it just so happens that I do! Behold my newest illustrated book, Kid Confidential: An Insider’s Guide to Grown-Ups. It’s written by the hilarious and talented Monte Montgomery, and published by Bloomsbury US.

So whaddya think this book is about? Well, it’s a field guide for kids, of course! Here’s a little bit about this way cool way fun book:

Being a kid isn’t easy. Compared to adults, kids are inexperienced, powerless, and short. Just as it would be wrong to send travelers to a strange city without a map, kids shouldn’t have to navigate a world run by parents, teachers, and other adults without an in-depth guide to how the older half lives. With charts, diagrams and more than twenty tactics for survival, kids will be armed with the information and skills they need to venture into the exotic world of the Humanus Giganticus.

Now how fun is that? Jeepers, I sure wish I had such a guide when I was a kid. Life was so bizarre and confusing and scary back then! That’s why I hid into the world of cartoons. And now, hopefully my cartoons can make life a little better for the next generation of kids. Here’s a sneak peek inside the book!

And now, the part you’ve all been waiting for – the Kid Confidential Book Giveaway Contest! Here’s how it works. I will give away three paperback copies of this awesome book, plus 1 hardcover. That means four fabulous lucky folks will win! But you can’t win if you don’t comment on this blog post. And I request that your comment be either A) When you realized that you had finally became a grown-up or B) When you realized that you would never become a grown-up.

Contest starts today, and ends Sunday May 6th, midnight, Canuck Toronto time (whatever that is). I will put all the names of the folks who have commented into my magic tin, and pull the winning names out, and announce them on this blog, Monday May 7th.

So doesn’t that sound like fun? C’mon – comment, and you too, can be in the know about those wacky creatures known as Grown-Ups!

Food Secure Canada and its partners are inviting kids from Kindergarten to Grade 12 across Canada to submit a comic about how they as a Good Food Superhero would create solutions for a healthy, fair and sustainable food system.

Entries must be received via mail or email with an Application Form by March 1st, 2011. Winners will be announced by March 15th 2011. Ten finalists from each age category will have their comic published and distributed nation-wide in Canada’s Good Food Comic Book. First place winners will receive an iPod or iPad on top of other amazing prizes, including copies of a signed illustration by me!!

For further details about comic submissions and to get an Application Form please go to the Food Secure web site.